Saturday, 01/10/09

[gstickley]

Good morning.

I have questions pertaining to recent news articles in the CDT that quite possibly relate to the Ray Gricar investigation.

There have been two (2) articles published relating to ADA Lance Marshall, who was ADA during RG's tenure. ADA Marshall took over the AVM case upon RG's disappearance and, before the year was over, the death penalty had been dismissed, VM was allowed to plea, and was subsequently released after spending 2 yrs. in jail. (It has to be noted here that for approx. 2 yrs., RG had the death penalty pending against VM & still did upon his disappearance; upon RG's disappearance, the death penalty could no longer stand?????????

The State is now investigating ADA Lance Marshall

http://www.centredaily.com/news/loca...y/1050646.html

The above article (the 2nd one published) can still be found in the CDT. The first article (01/03/09) can no longer be accessed; it related to ADA Marshall resigning from the DA's office (this article had some 65 comments about it).

I am interested in the "comments" made after the story. Several have been detrimental to LM & MM, several "commenters" have referred to Gricar, & a couple have referred to LM perhaps telling 'inside information' on the DA's office for a better deal. That might be quite interesting if it related to RG.

I want to know why the change in the prosecution of crime after RG's disappearance. I want to know what was occurring in the DA's office at the time of RG's disappearance. I want to know everything. I want to know if LM has any answers to my/our questions.

I can still find the article ("Marshall quits post in DAs office") cached in Google...sans comments though. Since the CDT switched from "prospero" to "pluck", I have not been able to find the archived comments stash...yet.

District Attorney Shortage
Check out the video. Is MM sporting facial hair these days......or is it just my low speed connection?

Some insight into the defense (and prosecution) of AMV...post Gricar disappearance...can be found here.

Although Marshall thought the child had been shaken to death, he said the first degree murder charge (which was not his decision) was a reach because there was no motive.

[gstickley]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

Some insight into the defense (and prosecution) of AMV...post Gricar disappearance...can be found here.

Although Marshall thought the child had been shaken to death, he said the first degree murder charge (which was not his decision) was a reach because there was no motive.

In August, Hehmeyer and DeCaro were granted a motion to dismiss that capital charge by Centre County Common Pleas Court President Judge Charles C. Brown Jr.

“The court determines the commonwealth failed to present sufficient evidence to constitute a prima facie case on the charge of murder of the first degree,” Brown said. “The commonwealth presented evidence that Lucas’ death was a result of shaken-baby syndrome and possible impact to the head…however, the commonwealth did not present further evidence to show defendant’s intent to kill,” Brown said.
(from http://www.philly.com/philly/news/ho.../10847837.html, listed above)

IMO, Poor Baby Lucas was let down by this decision & the Commonwealth of PA.

Originally Posted by logicworks

It's not your low speed connection. He is sporting alot of facial hair.

Did you happen to catch the end line where the reporter states 'Ray Gricar disappeared and LEFT the office without an elected chief for over eight months'?

Not 'CAUSING the office to be without an elected chief', but 'LEFT the office'----------------When I watch news on videos here I understand why I live a 'no TV, radio, newspaper' life. I would be buying too many TV's after throwing something at 'stupid statements'---broadcast far and wide as truth.
JMO

Thanks. I thought he looked a little rough. All of this office trouble, added to the normal pressure, might be wearing on him (turning his beard white).

Perhaps if you did view/listen to more of the news media, you would know not to parse so hard. I seriously doubt the reporter's choice of words was intended to convey any thought of a volitional disappearance.

[Cloudbuster]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

I can still find the article ("Marshall quits post in DAs office") cached in Google...sans comments though. Since the CDT switched from "prospero" to "pluck", I have not been able to find the archived comments stash...yet.

District Attorney Shortage
Check out the video. Is MM sporting facial hair these days......or is it just my low speed connection?

MM is sporting hair and Im not making front of him. It's against my religion to do that. If you need the comments I have them but I can't put them up on here cause he aren't allowed to carry over posts. Just let me know.

[Cloudbuster]

I just rechecked I have only one page of the comments. The rest are vanished. The page I have has about Penn state Cor.

[Cloudbuster]

Here are some posts and a different story on Marshall. It says that Marshall was told to resing or face being fired.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=157&f=1395&t=3746593

[Cloudbuster]

I believe another district attorney is missing?
http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=9629734

You may be right gstickley. It seems to me that a DA who approves capital murder charges (as RG did in this case) ought to have all of the necessary elements lined up, including motive. But according to the philly.com link I provided, LM thought RG was reaching.

It would be impossible for us to predict how this case would have turned out had RG been around. As it did turn out, the matter ended within RG's term. If first degree murder was a stretch, the judge might have ruled against the prosecution (RG) anyway...which would be the saddest of ironies if RG was disappeared to thwart that which never had a chance of succeeding

Another thing I noted in that philly.com article was that the first defense attorney pursued a medical defense. But the two local attorneys appointed after he withdrew wanted the baby's father to accuse the mother, since prosecutors had also suspected her. I wonder if that might have precipitated the event which KA reported to the BPD?

Originally Posted by logicworks

Was there more to this particular video than what was on the link?

If there wasn't, the reporter's statement to the public is incorrect, unless, of course, the reporter knows beyond any doubt that it was RG who 'left the office without an elected chief for over eight months'. It is a misleading statement, based on ???
JMO

I trust you will immediately call the station and demand a retraction then.

[Politigal]

It's just my opinion, but I can't see any real link between Marshall, Mendez or Gricar's disappearance. The other circumstances of Gricar's disappearance involve only one individual....and it's neither of those guys.

[gstickley]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

You may be right gstickley. It seems to me that a DA who approves capital murder charges (as RG did in this case) ought to have all of the necessary elements lined up, including motive. But according to the philly.com link I provided, LM thought RG was reaching.

It would be impossible for us to predict how this case would have turned out had RG been around. As it did turn out, the matter ended within RG's term. If first degree murder was a stretch, the judge might have ruled against the prosecution (RG) anyway...which would be the saddest of ironies if RG was disappeared to thwart that which never had a chance of succeeding

Another thing I noted in that philly.com article was that the first defense attorney pursued a medical defense. But the two local attorneys appointed after he withdrew wanted the baby's father to accuse the mother, since prosecutors had also suspected her. I wonder if that might have precipitated the event which KA reported to the BPD?

I've read the article on the shaken baby several times in the past 3+ yrs. IMO, RG did have the 1st degree charge down pat. He went so far as to go before the AG Child Abuse Board, which determined this was a case of Shaken Baby Syndrome & that it happened while the father was with the child, & not while the child was with its mother.

No, we don't know if the judge would have ruled against RG; however, RG hadn't backed down until 04/14/05.

I'm sorry, but it has always appeared to me that the ADA who took over the case (LM) was intimidated by the high-powered defense attorneys; in fact, if you read the article (esp. page 10) you will pretty well see that is the case. (http://www.philly.com/philly/news/ho.../10847837.html)

I don't know whether this case had anything to do with the disappearance of Ray Gricar. From reading all the websites ref. VM & his wife, there certainly seemed to be more than a little friction between the wife/her relatives & friends/his countrymen and Ray Gricar/the Centre Co. DA's office. (I wonder if this is one of the cases LE checked.)

LM was apparently not convinced of the first degree murder charge and therefore RG's filed intention to seek the death penalty in the AMV case. And according to "jka", LM had "mental health issues", especially with women "victims".

My question for the evening...soon to be lost in this ridiculous one-thread-a-day atmosphere, where every day's mishmash thread remains open...is, did someone in the DA's office let it be known to anyone on the other side that (essentially) but for Ray Gricar the first degree murder charge (and potential death penalty) would go away?

Originally Posted by logicworks

I don't subscribe to their news, and would not have been subject to it if not for looking for 'facial hair'. My mistake was in not disengaging immediately after I saw the facial hair, and before the lips moved.
It's actually a good reminder for me-------thanks!!
I don't need another full time job.
JMO

No problem logicworks. Glad to help (at least when I am sober...which, according to some "reports", is not very often)....

Originally Posted by Politigal

It's just my opinion, but I can't see any real link between Marshall, Mendez or Gricar's disappearance. The other circumstances of Gricar's disappearance involve only one individual....and it's neither of those guys.

Whatever happened to RG is unknown...or unprovable. I visited your "trench". It is deep and not that well constructed...I did not like it. I am just sending out "postcards"...looking for a better "view". But all I have ever been able to do is to send out "postcards". I hope you understand.

[gstickley]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

LM was apparently not convinced of the first degree murder charge and therefore RG's filed intention to seek the death penalty in the AMV case. And according to "jka", LM had "mental health issues", especially with women "victims".

My question for the evening...soon to be lost in this ridiculous one-thread-a-day atmosphere, where every day's mishmash thread remains open...is, did someone in the DA's office let it be known to anyone on the other side that (essentially) but for Ray Gricar the first degree murder charge (and potential death penalty) would go away?

(Sounds like LM still has "mental health issues" esp. with women "victims".)

I've had the same question as you ref. the AVM case.

There is "evidence" of so much anger at the DA's office (& RG WAS the DA!) right there in black & white in articles ref. AVM. That has really put up a "red flag" for me as to a possible suspect(s) related to the AVM case; however, there are so many people involved in that case, where would you begin??? (Real close to home, maybe???)

Of course, IMO, everyone in the area is a "suspect"!!!

[Politigal]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

Whatever happened to RG is unknown...or unprovable. I visited your "trench". It is deep and not that well constructed...I did not like it. I am just sending out "postcards"...looking for a better "view". But all I have ever been able to do is to send out "postcards". I hope you understand.

Do you have a believable hypothetical scenario for Gricar's disappearance involving a disgruntled Costa Rican (or someone else opposed to the death penalty) that would truly incorporate all the other circumstances of the case?

Take your time.

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by logicworks

IIRC, the scene that took place was in Manchester's office, so would the two local attorneys who wanted the baby's father to accuse the mother have been on board yet?

First, Manchester withdrew in 12/04, so there would be no need to confront him.

Second, it is far from clear that the incident involved Manchester or Mis. Vargas.

[Politigal]

I've been trying to go back & research cases that were in the works just prior to Gricar's disappearance where Lance Marshall might have been involved in prosecuting (besides the Mendez case)...

One was taking place in March/April of 2005, where a tanning salon owner (Ron Hanslovan) was peeping on his clients. From an article dated 4/6/05, it was reported that Lance Marshall was prosecuting the case.

http://www.tantoday.com/forums/salon...lon-owner.html

Assistant District Attorney Lance Marshall said he has not had a role in the Tanfastique investigation, though he is prosecuting the case.

"The district attorney doesn't always get involved in the investigation unless it's a more serious crime, such as a sexual assault or white-collar crime," he said. "I'm not trying to belittle this case, but the charges are misdemeanors."

Marshall said he assigns a priority to each case he receives.

"This [preliminary hearing] is three weeks away, and is not very high on my list now," he said.


However, 3 wks later, it's Nathan Boob who is prosecuting.

4/28/08 Assistant District Attorney Nathan Boob will be prosecuting the case. However, he could not be reached for comment.

During the course of the case it was learned that one of the women who had initially reported the salon owner had actually revisited the salon for tanning another 28 times *after.*

Anyway, I'm just very curious...could Gricar have taken Marshall off the case for some reason?

[Politigal]

Originally Posted by logicworks

It is possible, but a rather small case compared to the upcoming death sentence case.

If the new attorneys came on board shortly before jury selection was expected to occur, and the AVM case heated up, possibly LM was needed more on the AVM case than on the other.

If the new attorneys were introduced prior to the disappearance, was blaming the D.A.'s office the prevailing attitude throughout?

Hehmeyer said--- "And what angers me is that the D.A.'s Office did not let him off."

JMO

It was a small case compared to the death penalty case.

I was trying to learn if perhaps there was some personnel issue with Marshall gearing up at the time of Gricar's disappearance.

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by Politigal

I've been trying to go back & research cases that were in the works just prior to Gricar's disappearance where Lance Marshall might have been involved in prosecuting (besides the Mendez case)...

One was taking place in March/April of 2005, where a tanning salon owner (Ron Hanslovan) was peeping on his clients. From an article dated 4/6/05, it was reported that Lance Marshall was prosecuting the case.

http://www.tantoday.com/forums/salon...lon-owner.html

Assistant District Attorney Lance Marshall said he has not had a role in the Tanfastique investigation, though he is prosecuting the case.

"The district attorney doesn't always get involved in the investigation unless it's a more serious crime, such as a sexual assault or white-collar crime," he said. "I'm not trying to belittle this case, but the charges are misdemeanors."

Marshall said he assigns a priority to each case he receives.

"This [preliminary hearing] is three weeks away, and is not very high on my list now," he said.


However, 3 wks later, it's Nathan Boob who is prosecuting.

4/28/08 Assistant District Attorney Nathan Boob will be prosecuting the case. However, he could not be reached for comment.

During the course of the case it was learned that one of the women who had initially reported the salon owner had actually revisited the salon for tanning another 28 times *after.*

Anyway, I'm just very curious...could Gricar have taken Marshall off the case for some reason?

P'gal, the only strange thing is that the cases got shifted because RFG was missing. Boob was junior to LM in terms of seniority, so it is probable that he was assigned a lower priority case which LM was given higher priority cases.

[gstickley]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

I can still find the article ("Marshall quits post in DAs office") cached in Google...sans comments though. Since the CDT switched from "prospero" to "pluck", I have not been able to find the archived comments stash...yet.

District Attorney Shortage
Check out the video. Is MM sporting facial hair these days......or is it just my low speed connection?

After the excitement of seeing MM sporting a beard, I went back last night to read & listen to the news report.

So, now there are six ADA's remaining, since LM 'bit the dust' and one has been on extended medical leave since last fall. Does anyone know if the "sick" (medically speaking) ADA is SS? (If so, he needs to get a new doctor!)

Is there any way to check on what cases SS (if SS is the one on medical leave) may have been working when he took the medical leave? And what cases LM may have been working when he resigned?

[sherrijean981]

Originally Posted by logicworks

I don't subscribe to their news, and would not have been subject to it if not for looking for 'facial hair'. My mistake was in not disengaging immediately after I saw the facial hair, and before the lips moved.
It's actually a good reminder for me-------thanks!!
I don't need another full time job.
JMO

I have tv and am on the Dish Network and no longer receive the Altoona station. I miss it so much! Thank S1 for linking it and the story. I think MM looks a little more mature with the small beard. He should keep it.

LW I don't know how you gave up tv's but there are times when I watch news articles I sit here sobbing for the young people and children who have been abused and mutilated, and wish I could do the same. It is my link to the world since I no longer have a car. What I can't see there I pick up on the internet.

It puts RG's job with the Women's Resource Center in a whole new light. Maybe his heart could not take anymore of it, the cruelty of man-kind to others.

[Politigal]

If Sloane is the one that's been out on medical leave (on & off since early 2005) ....people aren't usually paid when they're out on leave. I wonder how he earns a living? I mean, he was out in April 05 when Gricar disappeared, he was out for a car accident or something like that, he was out for pneumonia, ....goodness..and he's a fairly young man to have so many medical issues.

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by Politigal

If Sloane is the one that's been out on medical leave (on & off since early 2005) ....people aren't usually paid when they're out on leave. I wonder how he earns a living? I mean, he was out in April 05 when Gricar disappeared, he was out for a car accident or something like that, he was out for pneumonia, ....goodness..and he's a fairly young man to have so many medical issues.

He hasn't been out since 2005, but he has had numerous health problems.

It's not that uncommon, as I left work on disability at 35.

Still, if Madeira needs an excuse to turn the case over to the AG, this is it.

Originally Posted by J. J. in Phila

He hasn't been out since 2005, but he has had numerous health problems.

It's not that uncommon, as I left work on disability at 35.

Still, if Madeira needs an excuse to turn the case over to the AG, this is it.

SS's health problems would be the excuse...or your's? Explain please.

Of all the days to get caught speeding...Natalie, Natalie

[gstickley]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

Of all the days to get caught speeding...Natalie, Natalie

What a day indeed.

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

SS's health problems would be the excuse...or your's? Explain please.

I'm referring to the staffing at the office. MM is complaining about lack of resources. Okay. he can give the RFG case to the AG's Office.

Originally Posted by J. J. in Phila

I'm referring to the staffing at the office. MM is complaining about lack of resources. Okay. he can give the RFG case to the AG's Office.

Thanks for the clarification. For a moment there I thought you were going down some "conflict of interest" road involving SS.

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by gstickley

What a day indeed.

And more than 200 miles from Lewisburg. Depending on the time, that might be a very solid alibi from Mrs. Vargas.

Originally Posted by J. J. in Phila

And more than 200 miles from Lewisburg. Depending on the time, that might be a very solid alibi from Mrs. Vargas.

Twas not Lisa.

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

Twas not Lisa.

"I'm not Lisa"

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

Twas not Lisa.

Then what is the relevance?

It's the opposite direction from the route to Lewisburg, from the listed town of the driver. Whomever Natalie is, she likely has an alibi.

Originally Posted by J. J. in Phila

Then what is the relevance?

It's the opposite direction from the route to Lewisburg, from the listed town of the driver. Whomever Natalie is, she likely has an alibi.

Relevance? Do you, or does anyone here seriously think any of us are apt to find anything of relevance?

I am just a curious sort...wondering about coincidences...sending out "postcards" as it were. It is up to LE to figure out what may be relevant.

LM's recently exposed predicament reminded me of a "set of coincidences"...nothing more and nothing less.

How is it that "jka" alleges LM had "mental health issues"...unless she had knowledge of it prior to her leaving the DA's office?

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

Relevance? Do you, or does anyone here seriously think any of us are apt to find anything of relevance?

I am just a curious sort...wondering about coincidences...sending out "postcards" as it were. It is up to LE to figure out what may be relevant.

LM's recently exposed predicament reminded me of a "set of coincidences"...nothing more and nothing less.

On 4/15/05, I posted on the Internet (which was normal). I don't see that as relevant, unless LE wants to know where I was (and they have but to ask, but have not.).

Originally Posted by J. J. in Phila

On 4/15/05, I posted on the Internet (which was normal). I don't see that as relevant, unless LE wants to know where I was (and they have but to ask, but have not.).

Go figure...because from what I understand, you have been investigated and "placed on hold", along with a few other message board posters...which I find fascinating, though totally irrelevant.

[J. J. in Phila]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous1

Go figure...because from what I understand, you have been investigated and "placed on hold", along with a few other message board posters...which I find fascinating, though totally irrelevant.

I'm told the verdict was "pristine" in my regard, which certainly doesn't help my street cred. Needless to say, I've been checked out by several individuals (unfortunately JKA wasn't one of them). Sometimes people brag on the Internet, but sometimes they understate things a bit as well.